“My time in Italy, they decided when clubs got to the knockout stages of the Europa League and Champions League, the week before, if they play Tuesday or Wednesday, they play on the Friday,” he added.

“In Portugal, every team that plays in Europe, they play on the next Monday. So every country’s doing that. Germany’s doing that.

“It makes no sense [not to do it]. It’s just a little bit of common sense, if they want, or if they’re happy that we have one English club in the Europa League and one English club in the Champions League. I think we are good enough to have more.”

Mourinho was frustrated that United’s Europa League last-16 second leg against Rostov this week was sandwiched between an FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea on Monday and a midday league game at Middlesbrough on Sunday.

“Of course it was accumulation of fatigue. That’s obvious,” said Mourinho. “He was already feeling his hamstring in the first half. In the second half immediately he felt he couldn’t carry on, so even a physical monster like him felt it. Paul is paying the price.

“But in Rostov when I was speaking with the [Uefa] delegate about the conditions of the stadium, he was telling me, ‘If a player gets injured, no problem, because they have insurance.’

“I think in England it’s also a little bit of the same. ‘He gets millions, let him run. If he breaks, he breaks. He’s insured. No problem.’”